Send inmates back to hospice: Madras HC to TN police

The Madras High Court today ordered police to send back the inmates of a hospice near here, who were shifted recently following allegations of ill-treatment, as it expressed shock over the death of 12 of the destitute.

A division bench comprising Justice C T Selvam and Justice N Sathishkumar gave the interim order on a petition by the St Joseph's Hospice in neighbouring Kancheepuram district after the court was informed that 12 of the 292 inmates had died since being shifted "forcibly" by the police late last month.

The government counsel submitted that as per police reports, 12 of the shifted inmates had died.

Justice Selvam said, "The court is shocked to hear about the demise of the 12."
Justice Selvam said: "Even in our own house, we may hesitate to serve the elderly, whereas the hospice with a good intention has been serving the orphaned, aged people."